If the era of flashy chef-lebrity restaurants are over, no one told Michael Chiarello. The Food Network personality who's made his name hawking Napa's faux country lifestyle on television, in books and his Napa Style stores, has just opened the sprawling Bottega Restaurant in Yountville.
And though myriad failed restaurants have made it easy to dismiss concepts like Bottega as overly-ambitious, personality-driven eateries, Chiarello has created a comfortable space at a reasonable (considering the location, please) price point -- a real-life interpretation of the easy-going Wine Country style that Michael makes look so effortless on television.
Cursing this second strike-out at the Napa newcomer, I called in my late-afternoon safety--the one valley spot that would definitely be open, definitely be packed and almost certainly have pizza (fig or not) to console my bruised karma: Bistro Don Giovanni.
Redemption at BarBersQ comes in the form of cornbread squares that are firm and sweet with (could it be?) a hint of smoky bacon--oh please, let it be bacon--and honey butter. Rancho Gordo baked beans are also on the menu, along with collard greens, veggies, cole slaw and potato salad. At between $3.75 and $5.75, you can easily rack up a pretty serious bill just on sides, however. Skip the BarBersQ fries entirely. I was misdirected to this side which is a boggling $5.75 and were actually less impressive and less seasoned that the frozen fries I force my kids to eat. For me, that's an unforgivable misstep by someone as experienced as Barber. Dude, get the fries right.
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